New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-03-15
THE BRITISH PUBLISHERS.
WHAT MIR. pEsANT SAYS ABOUT THEM.
r,om me london 7ymes. March 8.


m. Nr.t nj n sercs of conferences arranged by thu
committee OF the incorporated Socety OF authors WA
held yesterday at WILLIS Rooms Inc ,ao]ect q ses,er
Srcnertv.n Lord Lytton presided and the copfer
ence was opened by MIR. Walter Be.ant There was a
large audience 1hoss Ts ers
C. b. Dicey Mr.. Edmund Gosse Professor MAX MuI'
Ter the Rev James Martineau, the Earl of Pembroke
Sir Frederick Pollock, Sir Henry Thomp on, MI.
Thomas Hardy, and Mr.. r. ID. Blackmore. =,
The chairman. in opening the proceedings sara
with reference to international copyright with America
that while America possessed "a very large readng
public with a very small writing public, the AmeIican
publishers were agreed in the opinion that the p't"oy
Of English works very profitable braich ol
busins S. But America had now developed q 'ol3
considerable literature of her own ana Ior tns anu
other reasons that business was eeSsns ~ he tb"uy
remuperaye to the American publishers ne luousn
thereforc that in those circumstances there was nCeh
reason for hopefulness that the continues eno t
which wuuld be made by that society TO oDtun ior
Amercan az well as for English authors rights ~
their own property both sides OF the Atlantic "ouu
ct last le Gro sned with success lCheeis iii ,oo..
Mr. Walter Bcsant, who WAS received win cheers.
and in The course of his PAPER The Security OF
Literary Property" that the publishers were tue al
ministrators the great literary property created ny
fine authors and had perfect right to payment ior
their services II would be most unjust III cohsldera
ton OF tie honorable men engaged III ihe WORK OF
publisblng to attack them. AT the same ume 10
would Le folly TO disguise the truth, which was tbat
the relations between author and publisher were at
the present moment most unsatisfactory. my naa
alN been strained the increase ana deVeiopneht
OF literary trade only made this strain ieit mole
keenly; there was other calling at whien 20 many
epieraus had been hu led as tine calling OF puolishei
NOT even that OF king pope. minis there was no
workman so disseminated with bis pay az thc a"hnr'
there was none so jealous and suspicious OF his
t,eatmant. there was no kind of work which had
caused so much disappointment as literary work Inc
Society OF Authors was founded partly III Tue nope
OF finding some remedy i1r that ssete VI sn nnnii
Hitherto they haa confined their Efforts 10 sPecial
cases, interfering Tor the protection OF a'Ios WIZ
had come to them with grievance, real lor INA
1t was now ielt however that the nkerins OF ipuNu
nal cases was but small thing compared with general
The onestion which was T ut before them now for
the 6rst time was-What proportion OF the results
from the sale OF boos should be retained ny te pn
Usher in payment of his services for producing oooh
IN the pubilshinu of which there is no tskf In ci-
deayornp to answer that question they must coh'lder
some OF the various systems OF publishing now piac
tised. They resolved themselves INTO our pr,nc'piu
methods. IN that where the publisher bought the
book right out (2) tina, of halt prohts; 81 that OF
royalty; AZ that of publishing b., commission ~
With regard to the first nothing could ne san e1ce'
that one who sold his book would do well rst TO con
suit the society the price Offered W Inc sys
TEN OF half profits was an old.fash'oned mdh9d: ny
which The publisher relieved the author OIL an ' hS
and uromised him half the profits The plan had
fallen INTO dstavor owing to the custom OF inHhing
secret profit On the cost of production. lie would
Illustrate the practice by asking "a question: nai
would lie said a the City il. when two men bad agreed
on sharing the profits Of an enterprise tne one VINO
kept tie books were to make secret i1onl Ior MIN
self BY setting down the expenses as greater 'hah
those actually incurred II not bali the profits
that the author received by that Arrangement; put
quarter or none at all or anything sae nS Pmb,t be
rleased This state of things had arisen because IN
rendering their accounts publishers had never SUP
mitted vouchers had authors demanded scrutiny
t The hooks Tt at he might be accused OF extrav
agance, he would tell one auecdote. Young Wiher
had manuscript which he was ANXIOUS 10 Puoms s
entity told that the house would not take the rSE nut
that they would publish it for him if be would DO So
that it would eos, s2O which ne wns 10 coSe oU
the sale of the book and that the mouse Won 'aAc
for their trouble 10 per cent commission Oh an 'pe
sales. Fortunately, before signing the agreement
and paving the money. he took the advice of the
society and recommended to get a separate esu
mate from printer Inc cost Of ParTe hoT tbe
method OF secrecy there enabled the publisher put
nearly 100 per cent the actual cost OF productions
besides 10 per cent the sales. What success wcnd
make book 80 loaded at the outset reGuDeratye to
the aulhorl 81 The system OF the royalty mere |
sgain he would give an ILLUSTRATION II nds tnat OF
one OF the volumes which were sold for U.s. apiece lie
meant such a volume contained about the alhOeHt
OF matter OF a snglev0lume novel That book cost |
to produce, binding and all, about Is: od: Inc pap
tenth royalty ~hich was about Z Led copy lie had |
for himself IS profit every copy. II he gaze hIs
author 20 per cent, VIII oh WAS fabulous he
paid Is Cd for the production. Is. I'd TO ms author.
spd kept Is. Id tor himself Suppcsng thlt lVoVo
copies we're sold. The publisher on the 10 .ei cent
roy atty mai profit OF COO 10 tue auihol &1I-
and on the 20 per cent Plan the publisher maze d !
profit OF $685. and the author OF a6Ol. IL would
almo st seem MS they we've better III under the old
fashioned halt-proIts system. With su6h improve |
this royalty system as deferred yaity 10 !
begin after so many copies sold end 50 form. lie
would not waste their time. Tn Ter the y stem acOptd
in France, whore the recognition OF literary properly |
well OF authors, had always been much more ist
and generous than here he believed the position cf tne
author three times good as II was heie under
10 per cent royalty. AZ Tie method OF publication
commission, by which the publisher Prolcsscd |
simply to charge Is per cent all sales. Fairly ana
honestly carried out there no better Arrangement
Unfortunately there prevalent the Sus icion That
not only did the publisher make profit On TIE cost o.
production but also that he did not pnsh comlnss on
book SO vigorously thvsc which we're bis own by
right of purchase, or which he published on adNan-
tageous terms. ~
There was much TO be said bS publishers on Their
own behalf But after all that might DC sald lOr or
against them it remained certain that they must DC
paid for their services. aud that book had much
better chance in good than ii had IN bad banda ne
French sy stem with certain modifca tons They would
then receive royalty OF one-thrd the published price
II e., the price actually paid by the public IN o'Ger
to Insure that the publisher should be pald LOT his
labor tee, the amount 10 be agreed on, Should De
charged the DO TX, to come out OF thesublisher
profits beyond the actual e. st OF production lhe zee
he thought should never exceed 400. There should |
be no secret proits OF any kind Tie books concern
ing the sale OF the work should be to the author
and every account rendered should lie duly audlted
and the vouchers produced. Before parting VITA his
manuscript, the author woud have an agreeluent |
properly drawn up, containing clauses bnGlnS me |
publisher against secret profits OF every klhu, ana
enabling him to retain control over his properly
and In case of disagreement TO remove ii INTO other
bands That seemed to be the outcome OF the knowl |
edge acquired b; the society during It's two years OF
active work. They did not exrect the plan TO be I'D
mediXtey adopted, but it would commend itself grad
ually. Cheers.